An Unconventional Sibling
by missmarabellkitty
Summary: LBDverse. Part Nine of the Unconventional Series. Fluff for a very sad day. Lydia knew she would have to deal with the Darcy Siblings when she went to San Francisco to visit her sister, but she didn't expect to enjoy it. "And… if say Lizzie's favorite baby sister wanted something, do you love her enough that you would buy it for her?"
1. Lydia and Darcy

**A/N**: The Unconventional series was planned prior to episode 83 airing; however, it has strangely managed to stay uncanonballed thus far. The first eight parts of this series are not necessary to understand this story, but reading them certainly wouldn't hurt. A complete list of published and unpublished stories in the series can be viewed on my profile page.

**A/N 2**: Fluffy-goodness seems necessary after this morning's heartbreak, don't you agree?

**A/N 3**: All Unconventional stories are one-shots unless otherwise noted. That said, "An Unconventional Sibling" will be a two-chaptered story.

**Summary**: Lydia knew she would have to deal with the Darcy Siblings when she went to San Francisco to visit her sister, but she didn't expect to _enjoy_ it. _"And… if say Lizzie's favorite baby sister wanted something, do you love her enough that you would buy it for her?"_

An Unconventional Sibling

**12:01 pm**

"Lizzie, oh my god, why won't you pick up your phone? I am standing in the Pemberley lobby and, I swear to god, I will make the biggest scene if you don't get your butt down here now and have lunch with me. What good is surprising you for lunch when you don't know I'm here?" Lydia ended her third message to Lizzie in as many minutes with a "hmph."

Lizzie had invited her to come visit for Memorial day weekend when she'd first moved to San Francisco. And when Lydia'd gotten the email from her professor that her afternoon class was cancelled that Friday, she'd immediately traded in the ticket Lizzie (but really Darcy) had bought her for an earlier flight. She was supposed to show up at Pemberley Digital and surprise her sister and they'd go out to lunch and now her surprise was ruined because her lame older sister was _the worst_.

"Lydia?" She turned at the sound of her name and found Darcy standing there, staring at her like the freak she knew he thought she was. "I thought Lizzie wasn't expecting you until this evening."

Lydia huffed a sigh. "She wasn't and then my class got cancelled."

"Ah."

Lydia just barely managed to resist the urge to roll her eyes at Darcy. "Anyway, she's not answering my calls, so I guess lunch with her is out."

"Yes, she's in a meeting for the rest of the afternoon, I believe."

"Great."

"But I was just on my way out for lunch, if you'd care to join me."

A lunch with William Darcy was not all that appealing. They hadn't actually spoken since he'd visited her in the hospital. But it was better than hanging out in the lobby waiting for Lizzie.

"Sure."

Lydia walked back out of the Pemberley Digital offices, Darcy guiding her and holding the door for her. And ok, that was a little weird, but it was _Darcy_, Lizzie's totally lame, old fashioned boyfriend. But when he opened the car door for her and offered her his hand to help her into the car, that was way too weird. People just didn't do that.

Lydia folded her arms across her chest, like they could shield her from the world, while she waited for Darcy to get in on the driver's side. "Lizzie's not here," she said as he put his key in the ignition, "You don't have to treat me like that."

"Like what?" he asked as he pulled out of the parking space.

Lydia didn't answer right away, but Darcy kept glancing at her with a raised eyebrow. He might be quieter about insisting on answers than Lizzie was, but he was definitely just as stubborn. "A lady," she whispered then corrected herself and said defiantly, "I know what you think of me."

"I really don't think you do."

Nothing more was said on the drive.

**12:27 pm**

Darcy parked the car but made no move to turn it off. Lydia just sat uncomfortably not knowing what to do.

"Lydia," he said with that tone she'd heard him use with Lizzie when he wasn't sure if he was going to express himself well, "There's no excuse for anyone to not treat you like a lady; you are one."

"You don't… how can you think that after everything you know I've done?"

"Easily."

Darcy turned off the engine and got out, but Lydia was rooted to the seat until her door opened and Darcy held out his hand. She took it this time without as much reservation.

Then she looked at the bistro he had taken them too.

"Um, Darce? I'm not really dressed for a place like this." She picked at her ripped jeans and comfy shift that she'd put on for the trip.

Darcy responded by putting a finger under her chin and tipping her head up. "Never look down, and no one who looks at you will either."

Lydia couldn't stop the grin that blossomed across her face in a way it hadn't in months. Darcy offered her his arm and she took it, giggling.

**12:35 pm**

Darcy had pulled the chair out for her and everything. Which was totally lame, but it was on because it was Darcy.

"Do you treat Lizzie like this when you go out?"

"When she allows it. Your sister can be… obsinate."

"And God knows you're super flexible about things," she said as she open the fancy black menu. But she didn't miss that trying-not-to-smile grin on Darcy's face. "So… the whole lady thing… does that mean I have to order a salad?"

"Only if you enjoy salad. Personally, I recommend their cheeseburgers."

"You do _not_ eat cheeseburgers."

"I don't?"

"No. You're Darcy."

"Yes. I am aware. But I still eat cheeseburgers."

"With a fork and knife?"

"Only when in the company of a lady."

**1:43 pm**

"That… is… The Biggest. Ice cream sundae I have ever seen. I think it's bigger than my head."

"I told you it might be wiser to order a half-size. If you can't finish it, it's no matter."

"Are you kidding me?! Of course I'm going to finish it!"

**2:12 pm**

"Ok, so…" Lydia scooted closer to Darcy on the bench outside the bistro and did her best to fit them both in the frame; she was a little out of practice. "So… Will – can I call you 'Will'?"

"No one has ever really called – "

"Perf! So, Will, let's just get a record of what we've already agree on, k? You know, for the viewers."

"Ah. Of course."

"You have agreed to answer all of my questions about you and Lizzie truthfully and fully, right?"

"To the extent that I am able."

"Ok, that's is _totally_ not what you said before!"

"Well, since you are making this a recorded, verbal contract, I would prefer to clarify that I have no context for knowing what questions you might ask; therefore, I cannot guarantee 'truth,' when you may very well ask me a question that requires an interpretation, as Lizzie might disagree with my response, and of course, all of my answers will be somewhat subjective, so if we view 'truth' as objective – "

"Oh my God, Will. No wonder my sister likes you; you talk as much as she does. Fine. I'll accept your 'to the extent that I am able.' Now onto the questions. We'll start with an easy one: you confessed your love for my sister twice before asking her out on a date – "

"Well, technically it was just the once. I asked her – "

"The theatre box seats thing totally does not count; she thought you were asking her to go with you and your sister. Anyway, back to my question: how long did you wait after the second confession before asking her out for realsies?"

"I asked her to join me for dinner almost immediately after that… conversation."

"By 'that conversation' do you mean 'make-out session'?"

"I wouldn't call it… a make-out session."

"It was totally a make-out session. There was tongue."

"There was no tongue."

"We all saw the tongue, Will. Next question! What about Lizzie's completely abrasive responses to everything you said last summer make you think that she loved you back?"

**2:58 pm**

"So prior to my sister, how many women have you been with?"

Will made a few noises that sounded somewhat like choking before finally managing to say, "I… uh… don't see what that has to do with my relationship with your sister."

Lydia rolled her eyes. "Duh, Will, I have to look out for my sister, make sure _all_ of her needs are being met…"

He stared uncomfortably at the camera on her phone. "Well, in the sense that I would define as 'being with' – "

"Oh no. I mean in the sense that_ I_ would define 'being with.' I was being nice, but I will get vulgar if I have to." Will made a face that looked like he was being tortured. "Sometime in the next week would be preferable."

"If I don't respond for a long enough period of time, will this end?"

"Ugh, you're the worst! Fine, we will skip this question and this question only."

"Thank you."

"But I'm totally assuming you were a virgin. Next question! How much do you love my sister?"

"I don't find 'love' a particularly quantifiable – "

"Stop being such a dork! Let's try it this way – if my wanted something, do you love her enough that you would buy it for her?"

"Of course."

Lydia grinned. "And… if say her favorite baby sister wanted something, do you love her enough that you would buy it for _her_?"

"... What do you want?"

"Let's start with… a new outfit for dinner tonight?"

"Ah. That sounds reasonable."

**4:33 pm**

"Check out my haul!" Lydia exclaimed, bouding into Lizzie's office space. A bunch of Lizzie's coworkers were looking at her like she was crazy, but it didn't matter.

"Lydi, wha – I've been trying to return your calls for an hour."

"I know, I know, but I was busy. I had to keep text Jane and Gigi for clothing advice; Will is, like, the worst person to go shopping with."

"Wi…?" Lizzie's eyes widened in realization, and she turned to look at Will, who had followed Lydia in. "You went shopping with my sister?"

"I… that's not how I would phrase it. It was more… chaperoning my credit card."

"Oh my God. Lydia, you have take those back."

"No way! Will promised he wouldn't let me. No matter how 'obstinate' you got."

Lizzie glared at him. "I never used that word."

"Psh! I have video evidence. It totes already on YouTube."


	2. Lydia and Gigi

**A/N: **So I should be more careful about uploading after a morning of feels. There were a couple of mistakes in the first chapter, so I apologize. The most egregious of these is saying that this takes place over Memorial Day weekend, which should be Labor Day weekend, as Lizzie was not even living in SF over Memorial Day 2013 in the Unconventional timeline. For those not in the US, Labor Day is Monday September 2, 2013. If you've read An Unconventional Decision, this might help your understanding of putting together the correct timeline. Aka, this (and therefore Lydia's interrogation of Darcy, takes place before Lizzie and Darcy have sex for the first time.

**Summary**: Lydia knew she would have to deal with the Darcy Siblings when she went to San Francisco to visit her sister, but she didn't expect to _enjoy_ it._ "'You know who I wanna be?' Lydia asked. 'Who?' 'Scary Spice. No one fucks with Scary Spice.' 'I always preferred Sporty Spice…'"_

"An Unconventional Sibling"

Chapter 2

**8:34 am**

Lydia didn't like being awake before noon on a Saturday. But since The Incident, the therapist she'd been forced to see had been very insistent on a regular schedule. She'd recently actually started listening.

Which brought her, rubbing sleep out of her eyes, into the Darcys' (and her sister's) kitchen that morning.

"Lydia!" her sister squeaked as a greeting. Both she and Will were already dressed, but Gigi was still in pajamas – or at least lounge-y type clothes, though she looked way more put together than Lydia ever did in the morning.

"Morning, sis."

"I didn't expect you to be awake so early."

"Yeah, my… I'm trying to be more responsible about keeping a good sleep cycle."

"But you're on vacation!"

"Yeah…" Lydia paused and gave Lizzie and Will another once over. "You're going somewhere."

"Well…" Lizzie looked at Will then back to Lydia, "Darcy has some work that he has to get done at the office, and I'm in the middle of a project so all the hours I can get… I'm sorry I really thought you'd be asleep until at least noon."

"It's cool."

"But I don't have to go. If you don't want."

"I think take care of myself for a few hours."

"If you're sure… I promise, when I get home, we'll spend the rest of the day. Just the two of us."

"Stop being so lame about it and just go."

"Ok. We're gone. And Gigi's cooking breakfast, so I'm sure she won't mind making you something."

"Of course!" Gigi said brightly. "I was thinking pancakes."

Lydia didn't trust herself to not sound sarcastic, so she just smiled. But it didn't seem to matter, Gigi had already busied herself with pulling things out of cabinets.

Lizzie gave her a quick half-hug and a kiss on the cheek; Will, meanwhile, gave Gigi a kiss on the top of the forehead, right at the hairline. And then Lizzie and Will were gone.

Lydia sucked in a breath and wondered if she could retreat back up to the guest bedroom she was sleeping in. But suddenly a cup of coffee was being thrust at her with a bright smile.

"Thanks," she whispered. Gigi smiled even brighter then turned back to the ingredients assembled – apparently Bisquick was not good enough for the Darcys.

Lydia slid onto a stool and watched the girl bounce around the kitchen, humming to herself, and all over reminding Lydia of someone who had birds help her get dressed in the morning. She didn't want to not like Gigi. But it was so hard to think of her beyond competition. It brought a flush of shame to Lydia's skin to admit to herself that she was jealous of the girl making her pancakes. But this was the other woman who had loved – or possibly still loved – George Wickham. And Lydia hated him now, but she still kinda loved him. And Gigi was there, reminding Lydia that she couldn't even be tricked into loving someone the right way. Gigi had never made a sex tape with George. Gigi hadn't been so destroyed by George leaving her that she tried to kill herself. And now Gigi was here in San Francisco being Lizzie's little sister who never embarrassed her and who Lizzie loved hanging out with.

**9:03 am**

Lydia had managed to not engage in conversation with Gigi since she got to San Francisco. Yesterday, Will had handed her his sister's phone number after she put on the third outfit she was trying on; she had asked for his opinion on the previous two and had complained when he gave the worst reviews ever. So he told her to take a picture of herself and send it to Gigi for advice if she needed it so badly. And Lydia did. It was much easier to text the concept of a person rather than talk to the actual person standing in front of you.

Or in this case sitting. Gigi had set the table breakfast nook and served them both pancakes and orange juice. There was even a tureen of hot syrup and a floral centerpiece between them.

And it was just them. The night before at dinner there had been their siblings, Fitz, and Brandon; they hadn't needed to talk to each other with so many other people to talk to.

Now they were awkwardly not talking. Like they were their siblings. That was an awful thought.

"Thanks. For all this."

"You're welcome!"

"And thanks for… letting me stay."

"Of course. You're always welcome. I hope you like your room."

"I do. It's really… good. Great."

"Oh good! I was worried, but Lizzie helped me pick it all out for you, so…"

"Wait, you… you decorated that for me?"

"Well, yeah. It's no big deal. I've redecorated this whole house twice in the past year and a half… it's… a thing that I do."

"Oh."

They were silent again. Gigi kept looking like she wanted to say something. But she never actually did. Lydia did her best to focus on her pancakes.

Suddenly Gigi leapt up and ran to the kitchen. There was a loud pop and Gigi reappeared with a wine bottle in her hand and quickly poured a liberal dose into both of their orange juice glasses.

"Is that champagne?"

"I felt like this is a good morning for mimosas." She sat back down. "I want us to be friends. I think in we have a lot in common."

"What gives you that impression?"

"Let's say George has a type…? We were both in love with the same guy. We both have overbearing older siblings who tell us how to live our lives. We've both been called 'energetic' by William. We probably would find we have a lot more if we just talked. And even if we don't; I think that's quite a lot."

Lydia stared at the other girl in shock. No one had spoken to her so frankly since The Incident, always trying to protect her. She raised her glass of orange juice and champagne. "To having things in common."

Gigi smiled and clinked their glasses together.

**10:14 am**

The empty champagne bottle was still next to Lydia, who sat crossed legged on the floor of the den across from Gigi, who was polishing off their second bottle of wine. Another was between them, waiting to be opened.

"So then he said, 'I can't even find the words to describe a moment like this. I don't think I knew what happiness could feel like until now.'"

"Oh my god," Gigi half-said, half-giggled. "I have one better though. 'Peach…I could look at all the sunrises for the rest of my life, but none of them will compare to seeing you just like that.'"

Lydia stuck her tongue in her mouth and made a gagging noise.

**10:57 am**

Yoshi was pulling ahead of Baby Peach, so Lydia rammed her shoulder into Gigi's, pulling her steering wheel and Wii remote with her.

"So what did you do? Like, first thing… you know… after?" Lydia asked as the two jockeyed for first place.

"Destroyed everything in William's room," she replied without questioning what Lydia meant or a hint of embarrassment.

"Wait. Did Will just leave after it went down?"

"Oh no. He was there. He was _right there_. Just standing in the doorway, watching me destroying his things. I think I threw some pieces of bookshelf at him."

"Wow."

"The condo-wide redecorating was… sort of necessary…"

**11:32 am**

Lydia's hands were folded over her stomach as she lie on the floor, her head next to Gigi, who was lying in the opposite direction.

"You know who I wanna be?" Lydia asked.

"Who?"

"Scary Spice. No one fucks with Scary Spice."

"I always preferred Sporty Spice…"

**11:39 am**

Lydia and Gigi stood on the coffee table and singing into air-microphones.

"_If you wannabe my lover, you gotta get with my friends. Make it last forever, friendship never ends. If you wannabe my lover, you have got to give. Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is. If you wannabe my lover, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta – Stop! Make it last forever! Slam your body down and wind it all around. Slam your body down and wind it all around…"_

**11:54 am**

"_I don't wanna be a fool for you, just another player in your game for two. You may hate me, but it ain't no lie…"_

One after the other Gigi then Lydia slid into the kitchen, their socks regaining traction before they could hit anything, just in time for the iconic dance move.

"_Baby, bye bye bye."_

**12:14 pm**

"Ok, Tom Hanks in _Sleepless in Seattle_ or Tom Hanks in _You've Got Mail_?" Lydia asked as she uncorked the next bottle of wine and Gigi poured the popcorn into a bowl.

"_Sleepless in Seattle_."

"Even if he came with the kid." Gigi blushed bright red. "Oh my god," Lydia grabbed her arm, "Tell me everything."

Gigi looked so embarrassed she was practically in tears. "You can't tell Lizzie."

"What does my sister have to do with anything?"

"It's kind've her boss," Gigi laughed, "… his name is Roger."

**1:04 pm**

Lydia didn't remember falling asleep until her sister calling her name penetrated the haze and she slowly returned to consciousness.

"I can get her, Lizzie," Will's voice brought her into focus, but she couldn't summon the will to open her eyes.

Then, she was being picked up and carried somewhere, the world rocking gently under her. She could feel herself going up the stairs. Then, she was being laid down in bed. She could tell Will was being as gentle as possible to not wake her up. The blankets beneath her were peeled back then covering her. At last, Lydia felt Will press a kiss to the top of her forehead, right at the hairline. The door closed behind him, and Lydia once again drifted off to sleep.


End file.
